Why are Machine Guns legal? What does anyone need with one?

Page 2 has a pretty good definition of terms.

Although most crime is not committed with guns, most gun crime is committed with handguns. pages 1 & 2
Although most available guns are not used in crime, information about the 223 million guns available to the general public provides a context for evaluating criminal preferences for guns. page 2
By definition, stolen guns are available to criminals. The FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) stolen gun file contains over 2 million reports; 60% are reports of stolen handguns. page 3
In 1994, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) received over 85,132 requests from
law enforcement agencies for traces of guns used in crime. Over three quarters of the guns traced by the ATF in 1994 were handguns (mostly pistols), and almost a third were less than 3 years old. page 4
Surveys of inmates show that they prefer concealable, large caliber guns. Juvenile offenders appear to
be more likely to possess guns than adults. page 5
Studies of the guns used in homicides show that large caliber revolvers are the most frequent type of gun used in homicides, but the number of large caliber semiautomatic guns used in murders is increasing. page 5
Little information exists about the use of assault weapons in crime. The information that does exist uses varying definitions of assault weapons that were developed before the Federal assault weapons ban was enacted.
page 6

http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/GUIC.PDF

Let's start with why it's legal to own one with the "well regulated militia"(regulated was a term applied to equipage not organization), the militia is not the National Guard. American men are supposed to be able to take up arms in defense of the country and provide their own weapons and ammunition that are comparable to military arms. As far as reasons to own one, they are a lot of fun to shoot, much like owning a car that can go faster than 70mph. You don't really need it but it's something you want to have. You also might want to look into how many crimes have been committed using a legally owned machine gun. The Bureau of Justice Statistics provides an excellent PDF. Anyone with any real experience with automatic weapons, knows that full auto fire is notoriously inaccurate. A question in regard to drivebys, what would the death toll be if the shooter were taking aimed shots? Machine guns are exceedingly expensive, and difficult to obtain, thanks to legislation supported by the NRA like the National Firearms Act, Gun Control Act, and Gun Owners Protection Act. In addition to the cost, you must also pay a tax stamp fee, and wait three to six months for an ATF background check, and obtain your local chief law enforcement officer signature(or writ of mandamus). It's not like you can just go to Cabelas and walk out with an M249.

shall not be infringed rings a bell here

There are definitely several responses to this discussion! I'm thankful we live in a country where we all can debate freely! God bless America!

When it comes to media reporting on firearm related violence one should never fully trust the bs they are filling you with. As many others have pointed out there is a huge difference between a machine gun and a semi-auto rifle. The media exploits that difference and people's lack of knowledge in the matter to make things seem far worse than they are. I read a dailymail article a couple of days ago talking about some guys who privately patrol the US/Mexico border. They were carrying semi auto rifles which was obvious from the pictures but the British idiots who have no idea what they are talking about were saying that the group was guarding the border with heavy machine guns. I didn't see any HMMWV mounted .50s in any of the pictures so I think it's safe to assume the website is full of shit.

There is nothing wrong with owning firearms regardless of the type. The problem is parents failing to teach proper firearms safety and failing to properly store the firearms in a locked safe accessible only under their supervision. That and of course allowing people with mental illnesses to purchase them with little accountability, unfortunately that's an issue that likely won't be solved for a long time.

"Why is it necessary to own a machine gun?" The question is fundamentally wrongheaded in a free America. No one should have to explain their "need" for anything.

Machine guns already have a frozen supply in the United States, for private citizens. You cannot personally legally buy a machine gun in the United States that was made after May of 1986. This forces the prices ever higher. Furthermore there is a $200 tax per machine gun, as well as ridiculous amounts of paperwork and months of waiting, assuming that your local law enforcement choose to allow you the privilege of engaging in this economic activity.
Las time I checked, no legally owned machine gun has been used in any crime in several decades. Most AKs in the United States are semiautomatic (not machine guns: they fire one round per pull of them trigger, just like a double action revolver).

There are people who use machine guns (silenced, no less) to hunt pigs.

A machine gun has been used in lawful self defense. The citizen was charged with murder just because the perpetrator turned as he fell and caught a round in them back. He citizen was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
Some of the Korean shopkeepers in LA may have wished that they had machine guns as they defended themselves, their families, and their livelihoods from mobs.

Yes, machine guns should be legal. In fact, we need to immediately repeal NFA '34, GCA '68, and the Hughes Amendment to FOPA '86.

Most people that refer to a MACHINE GUN really don't understand what they are. An actual machine gun is anything that is belt feed, Air/water cooled and fires more than one round when the trigger is held back or down depending on the mechanism and continues to fire until the trigger is released or runs out.( Automatic Fire) LMAO or the barrel/barrels MELT.

What MOST people are calling a machine gun is a rifle or compact rifle or pistol, that when the trigger is held it fires, till it is let go or runs out of ammo and is usually magazine fed.. That is an AUTOMATIC. Glock has an AUTOMATIC pistol. MP-5 Can be obtained as an automatic also. M-16A1, UZI, MAC-11 tek-9. Then you have the Burst firing rifle that fires 3 rds when the trigger is pulled and STOPS firing even if the trigger is held. Release the trigger resets and is ready to fire another 3 rounds. I wouldn't call it an automatic but why get technical.

In case our govt. tries to go George the III on us.

Last I checked, machine guns weren't legal to own... what do you think a machine gun is?
Did you perhaps mix them up with assault rifles?

I personally would love to have a M-240B, because it's fun and I'd use it on remote ranges in Nevada, so not sure why that would be an issue.

As a gun collector, I would love to get my hands a WWII BAR!! It would be bad ass to own! Until then, I will stick with full auto replicas, lol... Just my two cents...